Power actuated leg exercising device



Nov. 4, 1952 J. A. GILLMEIER 2,616,416.

POWER ACTUATED LEG EXERCISING DEVICE .32 ujim I N V EN TOR. (Jo 5:714.rrzgz'er,

' BY W Patented Nov. 4, 1 952 OFFICE POWER ACTUATED LEG EXERCISING QDEVICE John A. Gillmeier, Maplewood, N. J. Application December 6, 1950,Serial No. 199,511

This invention relates to improvements in exercising devices,and hasreference, more particularly, to a power actuated device for exercisingthe legs of the user.

The invention has for an object to provide a,

power actuated legexercising device of the rotary pedal type suitablefor general use, but especially adapted for use by individuals aillictedwith in-" fantile paralysis, motor paralysis or muscularatrophy orweakness.

In leg exercising. devices of the power driven rotary pedal type asheretofore known to the art, I power transmission from a prime mover tothegagement with the rotated pedal means, said pedal means continues itspower actuated rota tion with graverisk of injury to the feet orQlegs,of the user, if th'e'latter are interposed in thepath of pedal movementbefore power transmis--' sion can be manually interrupted and the pedal6 Claims. (01. 128-25) bers I2.

means brought to a stop. In addition to this,

there is risk of damage to the device itself if the" rotating pedalmeans be accidentally brought into contact with. an obstruction. Havingpos: sibility of theseundesirable occurrences in view, it is a furtherobject of this invention to provide a novel construction of poweractuated leg exercising device of the rotating pedal type whereinautomatic exercising device or: the rotating pedal type which is'ofsimple and compact structure, and which can readily be applied to thelegs of a user whilethe' latter issitting upright, asin a chair, or isreclining on a reclining chair or couch.

- 1 Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be understood from the following detailed descriptionof the same. v

. An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in

which: 7

v Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a leg exercising device according to theinvention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view .of the'same. 1

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on line 3- 3inFig. 2, but drawn on an enlarged scale, the same showing the pedalrotating shaft in normal clutched relation to the power transmissionmechanism by means of aself-releasing clutch mechanism; and Fig. 4 is aview similar to that of Fig. 3, butshowmg the clutch mechanismreleased.-

I Similar charactersof reference are employed in the hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

, Referring to the drawings, the. reference character III indicates thebase of theleg exercising device, which is provided at its forward endwith laterally spaced, upstanding standards II which terminate at theirupper. ends in bearing mem- Journaled in and across the bearing membersI2 is a transverse horizontal pedal rotating shaft I3. Afiixedrespectively to opposite ends of the pedal rotating shaft I3 are pedalcrank arms I4, which are preferably arranged to extend inoppositedirections. Extending out wardly from the free end of each pedalcrank arm I4, at a right angle thereto, is a pedal pin I5. Rotatablymounted on each pedal pin I5 is the bearing sleeve I6 by which asuitably shaped foot engageable pedal I1 is pivotally supported.

The base III is provided with a platformsection- I8 which inclinesupwardly from the 'rear end portion of said base toward the bearingstandards I I. Supported upon and affixed tothe rearward portion of theplatform section I-Bis an electric motor I9 which serves" as the'powersource by which the pedal rotating shaft I3 is driven throughintermediate transmission- 'me chanism. Electric current is servedto themotor I9 through a switch box20 having a connector receptacle 2| towhich current service wiresinot I shown) can be detachably connected.

- which meshes with and is driven by'the driver bevel gear 25. Thedriven' bevel'ge'ar 261 is held against axial movement by Qabutmentagainst. the innerface of abearing'membenfl of a standard II, being thusheld between the latter; and the driver bevel gear which meshestherewith. The driven bevel gear 26 is releasably clutched in powertransmitting relation to the pedal rotating shaft I3. To this end, saidpedal rotating shaft [3 is provided with a transverse clutch pin 21which extends diametrically therethrough, so that at least an end of theclutch pin projects radially from the pedal rotating shaft. The drivenbevel gear 26 is provided with a forwardly projecting clutch hub 28having in its face a clutch notch or notches 29 in which the clutch pin21 is normally engaged, thereby to clutch the driven bevel gear 26 inpower transmitting relation to the pedal rotating shafts Said pedalrotating shaft is permitted limited axial movement in its supportingbearing members 12. Means is provided for yieldably moving the pedalrotating shaft axially in direction to.

collar 3| toward or from the adjacent bearing member l2. The thrust orstop collar 3! is releasably held in selected adjusted position by a setscrew 32 or other suitable means adapted for such purpose.

In. use of the leg exercising device, the same is positioned in front ofthe user as the latter sits or reclines on a chair or couch, whereuponthe users feet are placed upon the pedals H. Thereafter, when current isserved to the motor l9 to cause its operation, the produced power istransmitted, through the interconnecting transmission, to the driverbevel gear 25 and. by the latter to the driven bevel gear 26. 7 Sincethe driven bevel gear 26 is normally clutched to the pedal rotatingshaft 13, the latter will, in turn, be rota-ted'and thus will cause thepedals H to be revolved.

As the pedals H are revolved the users legs are put in motion, and thusare automatically exercised, so that blood circulation is stimulatedandthe muscles alternately tensed and relaxed, all in aid of restorationtoward normality.

In accordance with this invention, a safety factor has been incorporatedin the leg exercising device, by virtue of which risk of accidentalinjury to the users legs, or to the device itself, has been practicallyeliminated. This safety factor is provided by the self-releasing clutchmeans by which the driven bevel gear 26 of the power transmission isnormally coupled in. driving relation to the pedal rotating shaft l3. Solong as the user's legs are properly engaged with the revolved pedalsll, so that the users legs respond to the motion imparted thereto. bysaid pedals, the clutch pin 2'! remains in engage ment with the notch ornotches 29 of the clutch hub 28, whereby power is transmitted by thedriven bevelgear -26'to the pedal rotating shaft I3. If, however, a legor Iegsof the user should be accidentally disengaged from a .pedal orpedals of the 'device, andbebrought into the path of movement ofthepedz'ils or their crank arms M, or if for any other reason movementof the pedals and crank arms is obstructed, the resultant'resistance' topedal movement is immediately impressed upon the pedal rotating shaft 13in sufficient force to permit the clutch pin 2i to ride out of the notchor notches 29 of the clutch hub 28, as tension of the spring 39 isovercome, thereby permitting the driven bevel gear 26 to turn freely onthe pedal rotating shaft I3 without imparting movement to the latter. Byreason of this, motion of the pedals H is arrested, and consequentlyinjury to the user's legs or feet is prevented. The same release of thepedal rotating shaft from driven relation to the transmission will occurin the event the pedals are accidentally brought into contact with anyrelatively immovable object, with the consequence that damage to thedevice is thereby avoided.

It will be obvious that variation in the arrangement and detail form andconstruction of the device and its parts may be made within the scope ofthe herefollowing claims. It will therefore be understood that thematter shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoingspecification shall be considered as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A power actuated leg exercising device comprising a transverse pedalrotating shaft having crank arm carried pedals at its opposite ends,

means to support said" shaft subject to both rctative and limited axialmovement, and means to transmit operating power to said shaft, thelatter means including a driver gear and a driven gear, the driven gearbeing freely rotatable on said shaft, said shaft and driven gearhavingfooted against the shaft support, and a stop. collar on said shaftagainst which said" spring I thrusts, whereby to axially shift the shaftin direction to yieldably and thus releasably hold the clutch elementsengaged.

2. A power actuated leg exercising device as.

defined in claim 1, including means to adjustably fix the stop collar onthe shaft for regulating the tension of the spring. I

3. A power actuating leg exercising device as I defined in claim 1,wherein the clutch elements comprise a transverse clutch pincarriedby-the shaft and a clutch hub on the driven gear, said clutch-hubhaving notch means to receive clutching engagement of the clutchpin.

4. Apower actuated leg exercisingdevice' as defined in claim 1 whereinthe clutch elements comprise a transverse clutch 'pincarrie d by theshaft and a clutch hub on the driven gear, said clutch hub having.no'tchmeans to receive clutching engagement ofthe clutch pin, andwherein the stop collar includesmeans for adjustably fixing ,the same onthe shaftjfor regulating the tension'jof the spring.

-5. A- power. actuated legl'lexercising device comprising a base,bear-ting. standards upstanding from the base, a transverse pedalrotatingshaft mounted in the bearing 'standards for; both rotative andlimited axial movement, said: shaft having crank arm carried pedals atits opposite ends, an electric motor-mounted on the base, andimeans totransmit the power cf'said motor to said shaft, the lattermeansincluding a-drlver gear anda driven g'earfthe driven gear being freelyrotatable on" said shaft, -sai'd shaft and driven gear havingcooperative"clutchelements operative to couple the latter in drivingrelation to the former when said clutch elements are engaged, acompression spring mounted around said shaft and footed against abearing standard, and a stop collar on said shaft against which saidspring thrusts, whereby to axially shift the shaft in direction toyieldably and thus releasably hold the clutch elements engaged.

6. A power actuated leg exercising device as defined in claim 5 whereinthe clutch elements comprise a transverse clutch pin carried by theshaft and a clutch hub on the driven gear, said clutch hub having notchmeans to receive clutching engagement of the clutch pin.

JOHN A. GILLMEIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

